Ought to Know Better
by mostlypsychotic
Summary: Scotland sneaks off to visit Ireland one summer night. Maybe he just wants to see how she's been, or maybe he wants to bother her...or maybe he wants to find the closure he's been missing since she left. One-sided Scotland/Ireland, mentions of previous England/Ireland, human names, OCs, all that good stuff.


She was seated by the fountain outside her house when he saw her, and he couldn't help but soften immediately. It wasn't unlike him to storm off after meeting with Arthur about something or other, but he had never dared get on that ferry in his rage, even after so many years. But there was something almost therapeutic about seeing her, something that made his anger disappear in seconds. Even if it was just replaced by a vague sort of nervousness about coming to see her without her invitation, or coming to see her at her house instead of at some meeting. Here she was unprofessional, her pants rolled up to her knees so she could dip her feet in the water, and a tall glass of whiskey in her hand as she looked down at the waves her toes were creating. Bracing himself just in case, Logan moved forward, so that he was just behind her, and kicked his shoes off before taking a seat beside her. The woman's eyes widened as she realized who had come to visit, and her fingers tightened on the glass.

"What are you doing here, Scotland?" she asked uneasily. Scotland grinned, clapping a hand on her shoulder and giving her a little shake.

"C'mon, now, Siobhan. You're gonna use my country name after all this time?" he asked. She blushed a little, but nodded obediently even so.

"Sorry. But you didn't answer my question...Logan," she added almost as an afterthought. The name felt weird on her tongue after calling him Scotland for the longest time, and with good reason. The only one of her ex-housemates she called by name these days was Martin, and he was her _brother_. Even if he had left her, she couldn't find it in her heart to act so formal towards her own flesh and blood. "Why did you come here, then?"  
"Aw, can't a guy just come to visit an old friend every now and again?"

"You _never _come to visit," Siobhan fired back accusingly, only to feel a tinge of guilt. She hadn't _expected _him to come and visit...why would he? Logan frowned, leaning back on his hands and focusing on where their feet nearly touched underwater.

"Do you want me to leave?" he asked seriously, sitting up again. In all honesty, if she didn't want him there, he saw no reason to stay and fool himself into thinking he could change her mind. Before he could say so, she shook her head firmly, and his face broke into a cool smile once more. "Good. Then I'm staying."

"Fine," Siobhan muttered, though she felt a slight tug at her lips. "What do you want to talk about, then?"

"...I don't know," her redheaded friend admitted, before glaring at her a little. "Do I _have _to know? Maybe I just wanted to come see you, that's all!" He went silent immediately, surprised at himself, and Siobhan allowed herself to giggle a little as she looked him over.

"Pfft...if we're trying to embarrass ourselves, I'm glad you're here," she replied, looking up at the sunset above them. "I wish you guys would come to visit me."

"Why don't you come to visit us?"

"I..." Siobhan sighed, shaking her head sadly and suddenly feeling a wave of emotion come over her. She and Martin still talked weekly, either over the phone or over the Internet, and she was thankful that her little brother missed her at least a little. But...before that night, she hadn't spoken to Logan since she left, and she hadn't spoken to Andrew since at least a week _before _she left. And Arthur...she saw him at meetings, and she tried her best to be cordial to him, but it still did hurt a little. Those green eyes of his never failed to bring back the memories of when she was absolutely in love with him, and they left her with a weird empty feeling in her chest by the time she left again.

"It'd be harder," she finally decided to say. "I hear you guys all live separately now, so I'd have to go wandering all over your little island to see you all."

"Fair enough." Logan had the sneaking suspicion that she was lying, but for once, maybe he needed to keep his mouth shut. "You could always just come see me."

"Shut up, Logan." Siobhan grinned anyway, patting her old friend on the back. The Scotsman seemed hell-bent on it, anyway, and sat up straighter as he went on.

"Seriously. Do you not come because of what happened with Arthur? You don't have to see him."

"Arthur has nothing to do with it," the girl insisted, shaking her head. Now her friend went quiet, reaching for her hand and giving her a serious look.

"From what I can tell, he still loves you," he announced. He hated to be the one to say it, all things considered, but she needed to know, and it was the least he could do for her. Siobhan merely snorted, though she didn't pull her hand away.

"Hm. It's not important whether or not he still loves me. My only concern is that he takes care of Martin," she replied coldly.

"Do you still love him?"

"It's not _important_," she repeated, her voice a little shakier this time. "Look, did you come all this way to make me cry? That wasn't too nice of ya." She grabbed the whiskey glass, which had been all but forgotten up until now, and took a long swig before slamming it down and wiping her eyes again. Logan paled, not expecting her to actually tear up.

"I didn't come here to make you cry," he promised, his hold on her warm hand tightening. She nodded, her green eyes still a little shiny, and for the first time in a long time, Logan was overcome with emotion. It was plain and simple in his head, really. There just wasn't anybody else who made him feel the way Siobhan did. And he doubted there ever would be anybody else. So he didn't want to see her cry again.

He wrapped his arms around her now, resting his chin on top of her head. Siobhan blinked, surprised at this burst of affection. It was very...unlike him.

"I didn't," he repeated, quieter this time. She nodded, smiling weakly and returning the embrace.

"I know." They sat there in silence for a moment, listening to the fountain in front of them, before she spoke up again. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too," Logan sighed, pulling away again and looking up. The sun was setting, and he knew deep down he needed to go home before anyone noticed he had left in the first place. Siobhan voiced the very same.

"You know, it's getting late. You should probably go home, unless...maybe, you want to spend the night?" Inwardly, the redhead groaned at the request. There was nothing more he wanted than to spend the night. Instead, he smiled down at her, swinging his legs back to dry land and standing.

"Nah, I've got to get back. But I'll take you up on that soon, believe me," he promised, sliding his feet back into his sandals before kneeling beside her and planting a kiss to her hand.

"...You're so weird," Siobhan teased affectionately, sticking out her tongue as Logan headed down the road. "Give Arthur and Andrew my regards, when you see them!"

Truth be told, he probably wouldn't. Selfish as it was, he wanted to keep both of them out of this memory. This was just one for him and Siobhan. He didn't get that too often.


End file.
